November 18, 2022 – Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs has released the following statement in response to the ongoing and recent hate in Santa Monica and Malibu, as well as the ongoing violence towards many in Los Angeles County, California, and Nationwide.
On Tuesday, November 15th Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs (SMMPTA) voted to partner with LA vs Hate to take actions against hate. Hate impacts children, youth, and families both directly and indirectly by increasing fear in whole communities. SMMPTA stands with LAvsHate against hate and bigotry in all its forms as we stand for an inclusive, safe, and welcoming Santa Monica and Malibu and LA County for all.
“Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTA members, our loved ones, and our local and greater community members have experienced hate crimes and incidents,” said Erika Bell, President of Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs. “Our Council stands firmly against hate. We encourage you to do the same. Take action and extend friendship, gratitude, and love to all.”
At the beginning of 2021, Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs formed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee with a mission to support the equitable representation and participation of individuals from diverse communities and cultures in membership, leadership, collaboration and advocacy efforts through education, cultural appreciation, intersecting perspectives, and socio-cultural awareness. The DEI Committee stands with Santa Monica-Malibu Council of PTAs and LA County as it works to unite against, report and resist hate.
Committee Chair Heidi Vega Amionetti and Deputy Chair April Anderson stated “The diversity in our community is one of our greatest strengths. There is no place for hate here.”
Every year mid-November is United Against Hate Week. Join LAvsHate as it supports United Against Hate Week to stand against hate. The LAvsHate program is a community-driven approach to empower all residents of LA County to unite against, report, and resist hate. United Against Hate Week is a call for local civic action to stop the hate and implicit biases that are a dangerous threat to the safety and civility of our neighborhoods, towns and cities. We can no longer stand by, desensitized and apathetic. Instead, we can choose to be upstanders and build safer and more equitable communities by working together all year, not just this week, because hate takes no break.
Hate incidents and crimes involve evidence that bias, hatred, or prejudice have occurred based on the victim’s real or perceived race/ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. Hate acts include any act of verbal or physical aggression, refusal of service, derogatory name calling, bullying, hate mail or social media posts, or intimidation of any kind that is motivated by hostile prejudice. Hate incidents harm not only the persons targeted, but their family, friends, classmates, schools, workplace and communities.
Here are some actions you can take to stand against hate.
- PLEDGE to stand against hate
- SHARE with others in conversation and on social media, you stand against hate.
- TALK with your children, family, friends, and community about hate toward race/ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation they are seeing in the community and in media.
- STAND UP to bigoted remarks, hate speech and acts of hate.
- LEARN HOW TO STOP HATE – Attend a Bystander Challenge or other UAHW event.
- STOP HATE – If you see an act of hate, safely intervene as a bystander using the 5D’s: distract, delegate, delay, direct, and document. If you or someone is in immediate danger or a crime is being committed, please call 911.
- REPORT HATE – If you or someone you know has been the victim of a hate act Dial 2-1-1 or submit a 211 online report to get connected to help 24/7, contact your local police department to file a police report or pursue criminal charges, or submit an anonymous report to LA Crime Stopper.
- INFORM – Share information about LAvsHate and United Against Hate with friends, family and your community.
- CAMPAIGN AGAINST HATE – Go to LAvsHate site for Campaign Collateral to get posters, banners, lawn signs, zoom backgrounds, desktop backgrounds, phone backgrounds, and coloring books. Check out Gifs for Social Media to share on Instagram, twitter, and by text and email.
Through our collective actions let’s create a community that rejects hate and makes ALL citizens feel safe by proactively creating welcoming, inclusive environments.
United Against Hate
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About The Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs:
Santa Monica Malibu Council of PTAs connects families, schools and the community. We are part of the foundation of our public education system and a messenger to members, parents, families, educators and allied agencies throughout the city of Santa Monica and Malibu. SMMPTA is part of PTA, the nation’s largest volunteer-led child-advocacy association working to drive improvements in the education, health and well-being of all children, youth, and families. For information, visit smmpta.org.
